Boca Raton, FL -
The Florida Atlantic University baseball team suffered a 3-2 setback to Middle Tennessee State University on Friday, April 12 in the opener of a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at the FAU Baseball Stadium.

The Owls remain in a first-place tie in the conference with an 8-5 record, while being 22-12 for the season.

MTSU (20-16, 6-7 SBC) broke a 2-2 tie with Trent Miller's run-scoring double in the fifth inning. Miller went 2-for-3 and also scored a run in the game.

The Blue Raiders scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning to tie the game after FAU took an early lead by pushing across single runs in the first and second innings.

Senior Nathan Pittman paced the Owls' nine-hit offensive attack going 2-for-4 with a run scored. He drove in a run in the second inning. Senior Mike Spano also had two hits.

Sophomore Austin Gomber struck out seven batters in six innings as Florida Atlantic's starting pitcher. The left hander suffered the loss, dropping to 4-2 on the season. Junior Kevin Alexander tossed three scoreless innings in relief.

MTSU's Johnathan Frebis scattered seven hits in five innings to improve to 5-3 on the season. Daniel Palo recorded his fifth save, tossing scoreless eighth and ninth innings.

FAU returns to the diamond on Saturday, April 13 at 4 p.m. for the second game of the series. Live audio and statistics of the game will be available at www.fausports.com.

To purchase single-game tickets for all home games, contact the FAU Ticket Office at 1-866-FAU-OWLS.